


All the Fallen Sparrows of the World

by Telaryn



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Iron Man (Movies), Leverage, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Betrayal, Crossover, Gen, Hacking, Help, Near Death, Near Death Experiences, Old Friends, Post-Betrayal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-13
Updated: 2015-01-13
Packaged: 2018-03-07 08:16:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3167906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Telaryn/pseuds/Telaryn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the middle of a world-wide security crisis, Tony Stark calls his old school friend for help in saving a single fallen soldier.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All the Fallen Sparrows of the World

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ultra](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ultra/gifts).



> I've always been fascinated by the idea of Tony and Nate having been friends back in the day. Add to that, heroes not knowing where to turn for help, and it just made sense that when Fitz went down the Leverage team would be a safe place for Tony to look.

Nate could feel Eliot’s displeasure like a warm, heavy weight on the back of his neck. Hardison was a disturbing contrast at his right, bouncing so light on the balls of his feet he seemed to be in constant danger of taking flight. _Can’t really blame either of them,_ he thought as they entered the front door of Stark Industries’ Manhattan offices. It was the last place he wanted to be – the last place he’d ever thought he would be – but when Anthony Stark called you for help you came.

Especially when said billionaire, genius, playboy, philanthropist was an old school friend who’d saved your life on more than a few crazy alcohol-fueled occasions.

“Mr. Baker?”

Turning automatically, he saw Pepper Potts – Tony’s girlfriend and the current CEO of his empire – crossing the lobby in their direction. At her heels was a beefy gentlemen Nate remembered from Hardison’s briefings was the company’s head of security. “We’re so glad you could come on such short notice,” Pepper said, extending her hand. Nate took it, introducing Eliot and Hardison by their aliases. He’d ben about to suggest to Stark that they would come in at least marginally under cover, but Tony had proposed it before he could say anything.

 _”This is seriously delicate stuff, Irish,”_ Tony had said. _”The least I can do is make sure as little of it as possible follows you home.”_

Nate had tried to push for more details, knowing that Eliot and Sophie in particular would insist on them, but Stark had been his usual manic self. _”I need somebody I can trust, who can work in the shadows and get the job done. Way I hear it, you’re the go-to-guy for that.”_ Which was admittedly flattering, but didn’t tell him anything he really needed to know.

“We’re going to take you directly to the medical wing,” Pepper Potts said, turning and gesturing the three men to follow her. “Tony is up there, with some other people who are involved in the project we need your assistance on.” She blew out a sharp breath, her heels beating a staccato rhythm against the tile floor.

“Ah, Ms. Potts,” Nate began as they walked, “Tony didn’t really tell me anything…”

“There’s a reason for that,” she said, effectively cutting him off. “Mr. Baker, I don’t know precisely what Tony has discussed with you, but there really are no words to cover how deep in the shadows we are right now.”  
***************************  
Eliot couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this on edge. Every inch of his exposed skin was tingling with a low-level itch that he couldn’t scratch.

 _”This isn’t up for discussion.”_ He was really coming to hate those times when Nate pulled that out as his response to Eliot’s completely legitimate concerns. _The_ spy organization’s spy organization had just been exposed as corrupt going back almost to its inception – he didn’t think he was stepping out of line by questioning the wisdom of meeting with a man tied to that organization.

He glanced at Hardison and was reassured to see that the hacker had managed to rein in his explosion of fanboy glee at the prospect of meeting one of his heroes and was scanning and cataloguing the security as they moved. _”I won’t be able to do much electronically,”_ he’d warned them going in. _”Tony Stark has the most efficient AI in the world monitoring his systems. There’s no way I can do any effective examination without catching JARVIS’ attention.”_

 _Still…every bit of data we can get should help._ he thought as they followed Pepper Potts and Happy Hogan onto an executive elevator.

“Mr. Stark has insisted we not bother you with our standard confidentiality agreement,” Pepper said as the elevator began to move. “He has agreed with me, however, on the matter of turning over all your electronics to our security for the duration of your stay.”

Happy Hogan produced a bag from inside his suit-coat. Eliot and Hardison both glanced at Nate, who gave them the go-ahead with a quick nod. Everything except the ear buds and anything Hardison might have held back went into the bag.

Pepper nodded her satisfaction as Happy stowed the bag. “Thank you. I know this isn’t easy – we do appreciate your willingness to meet us at least partway.”

The elevator stopped and the doors opened – eliciting a disturbingly audible gasp from Hardison. Eliot gripped the hacker’s arm before he could step out of the cab. “Hold it together, man,” he growled. Hardison looked as though he was ready to vibrate into the stratosphere, but looking into Eliot’s eyes he forced himself to settle.

“I got it,” he said, nodding. “I’m good. I’m here.”

They followed Pepper and Happy through a network of hallways and security doors until they reached an area marked “Level 10 Restricted”. Pepper used her security card to swiped them in, and suddenly they were in a large, sterile looking medical area. Three men and two women were gathered around a bank of monitors displaying MRI results and medical charts and data.

Pepper cleared her throat, drawing all eyes to them. Tony Stark – immediately recognizable – lit up on seeing them. “Nate!” he exclaimed, shouldering his way past his companions until he could sweep Nate up in a bone-crushing hug. “How the hell are you, Irish?”

Nate was saying something, but Eliot’s attention had been captured by the only black man in the room. _Nick Fury. Shit._ The director of SHIELD had been reported killed in the days leading up to his organization’s exposure as a haven for Nazi terrorists. _Secrets within secrets,_ he thought, barely managing to stay where he was as Fury closed the distance separating them.

“Eliot Spencer,” Fury said, sizing him up. “Nobody told me you’d been invited to this party.”

“Same,” Eliot said. “I go where my people go.”

Fury glanced over where Nate and Tony were still talking. “I’d heard that.” Facing Eliot again, he extended his hand. “If you can help us save this kid, you will have my gratitude.”  
*********************************************  
Now that he understood exactly why Tony had reached out to him, Nate realized that he felt a good deal steadier. He had no doubt that Hardison could do everything Tony needed him to with the security system currently keeping his people and what they were about to do invisible to prying eyes. Eliot was more at ease now that he knew the players involved, even though a few of those players worked deep enough in the shadows to give anyone pause.

“Nick Fury’s not a good guy,” Eliot had told him during the minute or two they had been able to talk, “but he’s got much bigger fish to fry than coming after us. Doing Stark this favor will ensure that.”

Left to his own devices now though, Nate found his attention drifting to the two women who had been in the room prior to their arrival. The older, more confident of the two had been introduced to him as Maria Hill – and while no further details beyond her working for Stark Industries had been offered, her body language whenever she moved into proximity with Nick Fury screamed of a prior professional association between the two.

The one that fascinated him was Dr. Jemma Simmons – a tiny, delicate looking wisp of a creature . She listened attentively to everything that was said, and answered all the questions put to her knowledgably. Aside from that, she seemed to exist outside the main part of the action – spending most of her effort looking at the information splayed across the monitors.

“I’m sorry for what happened to your friend,” he said softly, trying not to startle her. “Tony – Mr. Stark – said his name was Fitz?”

She smiled at him, but he could tell the gesture was automatic. “Leo Fitz, but everybody called him Fitz. Director Fury said that you have somebody to help us with the computers and security?”

Nate took a few more cautious steps, welcomed by her tone and her questions. “I have to admit I didn’t understand a lot of what they were talking about, but Tony does seem to think Hardison can do what he needs done.” He paused, glancing at the medical information. “I’m sorry we can’t bring more to the table, but Tony’s already got access to the best doctors in the world.”

“It won’t help,” she said sadly. “Hypothermia might buy them a bit, but Fitz was without oxygen for too long.” She pointed at the MRI results. “There’s already signs of brain damage – his linguistic center is almost completely compromised.” Tears started falling down her cheeks, and she swiped at them angrily. “I’m sorry. I just…I keep falling apart.”

“Dr. Simmons?”

Nate turned with Jemma to see that Tony himself had come up on them while they were talking. “Dr. Hale’s team is scrubbing in. You said you wanted to be..?” His voice trailed off, but Nate could see the young woman pulling herself together in response to the implied invitation.

“Thank you, Mr. Stark.” Turning, she nodded at Nate. “Thank you again for your help.”

Nate half expected Tony to follow her, but instead his old friend moved closer. “Helluva thing,” he sighed, crossing his arms and turning to look himself at the monitors. “You need me to explain any of this?” he asked, but there was no real trace of condescension in the question.

“You didn’t bring me here on a medical consult,” Nate said. “I am curious as to who this guy is though, that he warrants this kind of attention and security? I’ve followed what’s been going on with SHIELD, Tony – and this is a lot of attention and worry over one person.”

Stark inhaled deeply, exhaling a soft, bitter chuckle. “If you look at it in terms of cost-benefit, Irish, he’s nobody. Better off on all fronts to just let the kid go in peace and give him the hero’s burial he deserves.”

Intrigued, Nate turned to fully face his old friend. “But?”

“But that’s kind of the point, isn’t it? The reason we all got into this gig in the first place? Saving people can’t be a numbers game, or slave to some kind of cost-benefit analysis. It has to be about that one person.” He gestured at the medical records again. “And the person next to him, and the one next to him.”

Stark turned towards him then, and Nate was almost startled to see a plea for understanding in his old friend’s expression. “You don’t have to convince me, Tony.” He reached out and gripped Stark’s arm as reassuringly as he could. “Ex-seminarian, remember? I’m all about rescuing the fallen sparrows of the world.” He sighed. “Otherwise it’s like you said – what’s the point?”


End file.
